How Devon Sawa In “Casper” Caused My Sexual Awakening

1. Behold my 1995 Glamour Shot.

You guys, the above photo is me circa 1995 when I was 10 years old and taken to the mall to have a Glamour Shot. As you can probably tell, I was a kid with frizzy red hair, braces, and a penchant for stirrup pants. (Mostly because of the elastic waist.) Needless to say, I was being hit on exactly never.

That same year, a little film called Casper, starring Christina Ricci, opened on the big screen, and I found myself in the theater and very much relating to the character of Kat. Not because I was being raised by a single ghost-chasing dad, had moved to a new town, or lived in a creepy haunted mansion. No, it was because she was pretty much a loser, and so was I. That being said, she had made a friend! His name was Casper, and while he wasn’t technically alive, he did seem to get her. They hung out together and had good times. I wanted to have good times. It gave me hope that someday, maybe, I’d have a ghost-real-friend too.

5. I remember sitting in the theater, when this song started to play…

Then something really, really magical happened in the movie. Kat hosts a Halloween party, and even though it’s her party, she ends up alone during the slow dance to Jordan Hill’s “Remember Me This Way.”

10. Seriously, just look at this prom queen totally checking him out and falling head over heels in love.

11. Then there’s Kat’s “WHOA” face, which pretty much seals the deal that, yes, Casper is a stone-cold fox.

12. Stage one of sexual awakening:

It’s at this point in the film when 10-year-old me, and likely countless other pre-tweens, began to sweat in the theater. Under our arms, in the back of our thighs, and in several other unmentionable places. Because, really, what was happening? Kat, the loser, was getting picked up by a hottie. Did this mean someone like me, riddled with metal and insecurity, might find love someday?

13. And he didn’t need to say anything, because beautiful people don’t need words. All he had to do was extend his hand.

14. Stage two of sexual awakening:

I’m not a shallow person, honestly I’m not, but when Devon Sawa spinned Kat around and revealed his face to us…it’s as if heaven beamed down a light of happiness. In that moment, I became very aware of the fact that I would do a lot of things* to trade places with Kat. (*murder)

19. And then they were dancing in midair with Devon’s gorgeous ghost-boy powers.

20. And Kat got scared, or whatever, and this wonderful thing happened…

21. Stage three of sexual awakening:

Gentle readers, did you see how Devon looked at Kat? Like he was in love with her because she was afraid and a loser?! Can you understand how that look felt to a loser like me, sweating in my stirrup pants and barely able to breathe? At that moment, I understood the importance of slow dances.